Mini Police signs up new recruits

Ben O’Connell

Northumbria Police has taken on more of its youngest recruits as its successful Mini Police scheme is extended.

Earlier this year, the Force’s Mini Police was launched with seven primary schools across the force area signing up to the scheme.

Pupils were selected from the participating schools to become Mini Police where they work with their local police and volunteer police cadets to learn about a host of topics to help keep them and their friends safe.

Mini Police, recognisable by their uniform, also carry out work in the community and since the scheme began have attended events such as the Sunderland International Airshow.

Now, due to the success of the scheme, it has been extended with eight more schools now signing up and an extra 88 nine and 10-year-olds becoming Mini Police – meaning there are now 164 primary-school children enrolled on the scheme.

Superintendent Sarah Pitt was instrumental in launching Mini Police.

She said: “Since we launched the scheme in April, we’ve had a lot of interest in our Mini Police with people getting in contact to see how their children or school could get involved.

“It’s been a great success so far and we’re really pleased we’ve been able to extend it and welcome more children into the police family.”

In North Tyneside, there are two schools involved in the scheme – St Columba’s RC Primary School, Wallsend, and Riverside Primary School, North Shields.